A shift to the far right has Swedes wondering whether their tolerant, liberal self-image is correct.

[pampango]

As the dust settles from Sweden’s national election last month, a country known for its mild-mannered politics and tolerance toward immigration has entered a period of soul-searching.

The far-right Sweden Democrats, a populist, anti-immigration party, garnered an unexpected 5.7 percent of the vote, stunning voters and ushering the party into parliament for the first time.

The party, which traces its roots to neo-Nazi groupings from the 1980s, wants to reduce immigration to Sweden by 90 percent and has called Islam “unSwedish.” Although the party denies it, many see the group as xenophobic or outright racist.

Some Swedes, however, are not panicking. Pointing to the less than 6 percent return, many say the Swedish stereotype of a charitable, tolerant and right-minded people may be tarnished but it has yet to be rubbed out. Using history as an example, voters mention the New Democrats, a different far-right party that gained even more seats in parliament than the Sweden Democrats have during the 1992 national vote only to implode four years later in the next election.

[TreasonousBastard]

1. Heh! If we had only 5% wingnuts we'd be living in a socialist paradise.

[villager]

2. Guess some Swedes are getting the wrong message from the Lisbeth Salander books?

Like maybe the opposite message?